Southern Plains Prairie Restoration

Grasslands are among the most productive ecosystems on earth and they are the major ecosystem in the Great Plains. Mixed-grass and shortgrass prairie are the dominant ecosystems in the five parks included in this proposal. Many grassland systems have undergone significant changes since first being described by early Europeans. Exotic species invasions, expanding row-crop agriculture, overgrazing, mineral exploration and establishment of woodlots and shelterbelts have all contributed to grassland degradation and significant and ongoing loss of genetic diversity in North American grasslands. This restoration project takes a combined approach to restores 135 acres of shortgrass and mixed-grass prairie at five National Park Service units in three states. We are partnering with national experts on grassland ecology and restoration from the Ladybird Johnson Wildflower Center, and will build on the knowledge and expertise gained from previous restoration efforts at Bent’s Old Fort NHS and Sand Creek Massacre NHS.